Reciprocating conveyors



y 8, 1965 K. M. ALLEN ETAL 3,184,044

REGIPROCATING CONVEYORS Filed Oct. 29, 1962 4 sheets sheet 1 IN VEN TORS.

KENNETH M. ALLEN BY CHESTER H. HARPER BUCKHORN, BLORE, KLAROUIST a SPARKMAN ATTORNEYS y 13, 1955 K. M. ALLEN ETAL 3,184,044

RECIPROCA'I ING CONVEYORS Filed Oct. 29, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR S.

KENNETH M. ALLEN y CHESTER H. HARPER BUCKHORN, BLORE, KLARQUIST 8 SPARKMAN ATTORNEYS May 18, 1965 Filed Oct. 29, 1962 K. M. ALLEN ETAL REG I PRO CAT ING CONVEYORS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 9

20 TO I H6. IO

FIG.15

16 I64- I i i INVENTORS.

KENNETH M. ALLEN BY CHESTER H. HARPER BUCKHORN, BLORE, KLARQUIST 8 SPARKMAN ATTORNEYS May 18, 1965 K. M. ALLEN ETAL 3,184,044

RECIPROCATING CONVEYORS Filed Oct. 29, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fish INV EN TORS.

KENNETH M. ALLEN y CHESTER H. HARPER BUCKHORN, BLORE, KLARQUIST 8 SPARKMAN ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,184,044 REQIIIPROCATING CUNVEYGRS Kenneth M. Allen and Chester H. Harper, l lewherg, Greg, assignors to Allen-Harper, End, Portland, Greg, a corporation of Oregon Filed Get. 29, 1962, Ser. No. 233,730 7 tjlaims. (Cl. 198-221) This invention relates to a reciprocating conveyor, and more particularly to conveyors for feeding containers to a filling station and for vibrating the containers while they are being filled to pack filling materifl in the containers.

An object of the invention is to provide ratchet-type conveyors for advancing containers.

Another object of the invention is to provide conveyors which are adapted to feed containers therealong in the absence of undue resistance to movement of the conveyor and then to slip relative to the containers without damage thereto.

Another object of the invention is to provide ratchettype conveyors for advancing containers along predetermined paths.

A further object of the invention is to provide a conveyor for advancing containers to a position in which material is supplied to the containers to fill them together with a mechanism for vibrating the container being filled and settle the material therein.

. The invention provides a conveyor having a supporting portion, together with a driving bar slidable along an article guideway and a drag bar frictionally engaging a stationary portion along with a dog and pin-and-slot means connecting the dog to one of the bars and fixed pivot means connecting the dog to the other portion. Means are provided for reciprocating the drive bar along the uideway to pull the drag bar in movement in one direction, and the driving bar pushes the driven bar in the opposite direction after the dog has been swung into the track. There also may be provided a filling station near one end of the path and means for vibrating a container at that end of the path to settle material being supplied to the container.

A complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from the following detailed description of conveyors forming specific embodiments thereof, when read in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a conveyor forming one embodiment of the invention with portions thereof broken away and shown in section to more clearly illustrate the structure thereof;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the conveyor of FIG. 1 with portions thereof broken away and shown in section;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical section taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical section taken along line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan View of a ratchet portion of the conveyor of FIG. 1 in a position operable to feed a container along a predetermined path;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but during the retracting or nonfeeding stroke of the ratchet conveyor;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary top plan view showing the conveyor at the end of the retraction stroke thereof;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 but showing the conveyor at the start of the feed stroke thereof;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 7 but at the end of the feed stroke thereof;

FIG. 1O is a view similar to FIG. 7 but of the conveyor during its retraction;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged horizontal section taken along conveyor shown in FIG. 1;

ddddfid l Patented May 18, 1955 FIG. 12 is an enlarged vertical section of the conveyor of FIG. 1 taken along line 12-12 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged vertical section taken along line 13-13 of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of a portion of a conveyor forming an alternate embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 15 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation view of the conveyor of FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of a portion of a conveyor forming an alternate embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 17 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation view of the conveyor of FIG. 16.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, there is shown in FiGS. 1 to 13 a conveyor forming one embodiment of the invention for advancing containers 2% (FIG. 1) step-by-step to a filling position under a chute 22 adapted to discharge a measured quantity of material such as, for example, potato chips, into the container at the filling station and to advance the filled container out from under the chute 22 to a position where it may be removed from the conveyor either by an operator or by suitable known transfer means (not shown). While the container 20 is positioned under the chute at the filling station, a vibrator 24 is actuated to shake the conveyor and the container being filled to settle or pack the material supplied to the container. The conveyor includes a ratchet type advancing device 26 comprising a fixed table 28 having a generally horizontal, fixed supporting plate or top 36 along which the containers 2% may he slid by the ratchet device. The table also has rails or guides 32 defining a guideway or path for the containers 20. Each of the guides 32 comprises a downwardly facing channel member 34 (FIG. 3) having a flange portion 36, and upwardly facing channels 38 welded to flanged side members 40 of the table. The side members 4d are welded to inwardly facing channels 42 forming a portion of the supporting framework of the table and serving as supports for the table along with posts 44 (FIG. 1).

The ratchet device 26 includes a pneumatic cylinder 4-6 with a drive piston rod 48 adapted to drive a crosshead 58 to the right, as viewed in FIG. 1, when air under pressure is supplied to the lefthand end of the cylinder 46. A counterweight 52 secured by cables 54 to the crosshead So is trained over guide pulleys 56 mounted rotatably on a rod 58 journaled in the channels 42. As best shown in FIG. 3, vertical spacers 62 rigidly connect the end portions of the crosshead to a pair of drive bars 64 slidable in the channels 38, the spacers 62 projecting through slots 66 and 68 in the elements 30 and 38, respectively. When air under pressure is supplied to the lefthand end of the cylinder 46, as viewed in FIG. 1, the drive bars 64 are moved to the right from the fully retracted positions thereof as shown in FIG. 7, to first swing dogs 70 outwardly into extended or operative positions adapted to engage the containers 20 as shown in FIG. 8. The bars at swing the dogs 7% through pins 72 fixed to the drive bars '64 and slots 74 in the dogs 79. The dogs 70 are pivotally mounted on capscrew pins 76 fixedly mounted on drag bars '78. The drag bars 78 are composed of magnetic material such as, for example, steel or iron. The pins 76 project through substantially circular holes in the dogs 70 with little play being provided between the pins and the dogs 70.

Permanent magnets 8% are positioned in apertures (not shown) in the conveyor table 23, as best illustrated in FIG. 3, and have surfaces in contact with the magnetic drag bars 78. The magnets are held against movement and brake movement of the drag bars 78 as the drive bars are moved to the right to swing the dogs 78 into operative, container-engaging positions as shown in FIG. 8. After V the dogs 70 are swung to their operative positions, end

1 and 122 to move 'therethrough and engage the bottomof' beveled end portions 86 generally complementary-to the portions of the surfaces of the containers Ztiengaged thereby when the dogs 86am fully extended, as best illus "tr ated in FIG. 5. The pins 721and 76 maybe capscrews 'which are threaded into tapped rbores in V 64 and drag bars 7 8, respectively. p v

After'j-the ratchet-type advancing device 26 has moved the containers 20 forward from the positions thereof shown in FIG. 7 to the positions thereof shown in FIG. 9, the air is cut elf from the cylinder 46 (FIG. 1) and exhausted therefrom, and the counterweight 52 gpulls the drive bars 64- in a retraction stroke back to the positions thereof shown in FIG. 7. It is apparentthat the counteremployed. During the initial portion of this movement the pins 72 first swing the dogs 7% back to their retracted positions inasmuch'as the magnets 89 hold the drag bars '78 in their furthermost righthand vpositions until'the pins Then, as each lobe 107 of the cam 105 passes the roller 110 the plate 114 drops the pads 12% and 122 away from the bottom of the container preparatory to another cushioned blow against the bottom of the container as the next lobe of the cam 166 strikes the roller 114}. Thus, the container 20 is shaken by the vibrating device. The top 3! has a slot 128'thereinto permit the cushions 121 the container, the width of the slot 128 being substantially less than the diameter of'the containers 2t) and the slot 7 123 being positioned in the central part of the'guideway the drive bars 7 V tangular or box-like articles or containers to be moved 'alongthe conveyor, and the dogs 141) being positioned.

weight can be eliminated if a double acting-cylinder is 72 strike the endsof the slots 74 in the dogs 79. After, this occurs, the drag bars 78 are pulled by the drive bars.

64 back to the retracted positions FIG. 7. a

The vibrating mechanism 24 (FIGS. 1, 11', 12 and 13) is provided to shake the container 20 under the filling chute 22'to settle the material being supplied to the container 2t and consolidate the material therein. brating mechanism 24 is supported by the plate 39 through fixed bearing members attached to the plate 30, and a stud 92 also fixed to the bottom' of the plate 30. A

I U-shaped bracket 94 is. secured at its upper ends to the bottom of the plate 30, and supports a pneumatic cylinder 3 having a supply line 98 connected to the lower end thereof and adapted to supplyduring apre determinedv portion of each loading cycle air under pressure to the lower end of the cylinder 96. When theair is so supplied, the cylinder 96 through piston means (not shown) enclosed therein pushes" an angular supporting plate 161 in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 13, relative to a supporting shaft 192 supported by the bearings 99. The plate 160 is fixed to a sleeve 104 rotatable freely on the shaft 102 and moves a triangular cam 106 up f into a position in which the lobes 167 of the cam 16% may strike a cam follower roller 11 3 as the cam10o is rotated by an electric motor 198 mounted on the plate 160. The lobes H97 periodically push the roller 111D upwardly.

The roller 110 is mounted in a forked bracket 112 fixed V to driving plate 114, which is carried by a sleeve 116 freely rotatable on the shaft 102. The sleeve 116 is freely rotatable relative to the shaft 192 and also is freely rotatable relative to the sleeve 104, the sleeves 194 and 116 being held against longitudinal movement relative to'the shaft 102 by collars 118 (FIG. 12), which are fixed to the shaft 102, suitable known thrust'means being provided between the shaft 1192 and the bearings 99 to prevent longitudinal movementof the shaft 102relative to the bearings 91b. Resilient striker pads 126 are hired to the drive plate 114 in positions relatively close to the shaft 102; of the plate 114, and a resilient striker pad 122 is fixed to the upper part of the plate 114 near the free end portion thereof. The plate 36 has a hole126 (FIG. 11) permitting free pivotal movement of the plate 114 and through which the stud 92 projects to limit the lower movement of the drive plate 114. i 7

As the cam 106 is rotated and strikes the roller 110, the

drive plate 114 swings the resilient pads 123 and 122 up against the bottom of the container to strike the container.

thereof illustrated in i formed by the conveyor top and the guide members 32,

as illustrated best in FIG. 2. r

In FIG. 14 there is shown a ratchet type conveyor which is generally similar to the conveyorjshown in FIG.

1, but which has dogs 14%} dilferent from the dogs 79 and of a type adapted to frictionally engage the sides of recin laterally aligned, opposed pairs on opposite sidesof the guideway so that each pair grips the object to be con-.

veyed directly therebetween. The-dogs 1'41) areprovided with resilient roughened gripping surfaces 142 and have slots 144- therein and'holes'in the ends thereof opposite to the grippiiig surfaces 14-2 throu'ghfiwhich pins 146 and 143, respectively, project. are threaded into a drive bar'lEll and a drag bar 152,

respectively, corresponding to the drive bars 6 and the drag bars 78. a

In FIGS. 16 and 17 there-is shown a ratchet type conveyor forming an alternate embodiment of th'e inverttion; which is generally similar to those described above.

but includes dogs 166 having rectangular notches 162 The vi- 7 positions thereof. V V

It is to be understood that the above-described ar-rangetherein which are adapted to fit on corners'of square boxes or containers to be advanced along the conveyor to the right, as viewed in FIGS. 16 and 17. The dogs are pivotally mounted on'capscrew pins 164 secured; to drag bars 166 and are connected by capserew pins 16% The pins 168 are ing the retracting or rearward strokes of the drive bars, the dogs 16%} areswung first to retracted positions and then the drive bars pull the drag bars 166 back to the start ments' are simply, illustrative of the application of the principles of the invention. Numerous other arrangemerits may be readily devised by those skilled in the art which will: embody the principles of the 'invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof. r

We claim: r x 1. In a conveyor, an article guiding track, a guide extending along one side of the track,

" a driving bar slidable in the guide,

a drag bar frictionallyengaging and slidable in the guide alongside of the driving bar and being located in the guide at a position on the opposite side of the driving bar from the track, a a dog having a slot extending along the central p or-r tron thereof and a hole at one end thereof,

a first pinon the driving :bar'and projecting-into the slot, 7 r

' I a second pin on the-drag bar and projecting into the hole, 7 V V t and means for reciprocating the driving bar along the guide. to pnll the drag bar through the dog and re tract the dog from the track in movement in one direction, 1 i 7 i the driving bar being provided with a member atone end thereof for engaging and pushing the drag bar The pins 146v and 1 33' The dogs 16% are mounted I after the dog has been swung into the track when the driving bar is moved in the direction opposite to said one direction.

2. In a conveyor, an article guiding track,

a guide extending along one side of the track,

a driving bar slidable in the portion of the guide adjacent to the track,

a drag bar frictionally engaging and slidable alongside of the driving bar on the opposite side of the driving bar from the track,

a dog having a pivot hole at one end and an article engaging portion at the other end, the dog also hav ing a slot extending along the portion thereof between the ends thereof,

a first pin on the driving bar and extending into the slot,

a second pin on the drag bar and extending into the pivot hole,

and means for reciprocating the driving bar along the guide, the driving bar when moved in one direction serving to swing the article engaging portion of the dog over the track and when moved in the other direction serving to move the article engaging portion out of the track,

the bars being provided with means by which the driving bar pushes the drag bar after the article engaging portion has been swung over the track.

3. In a conveyor including a track,

an upwardly facing guide channel extending along one side of the track,

a first bar slidable in the channel along the portion thereof adjacent to the track,

a second bar extending along the first bar and slidabie in the channel on the opposite side of the first bar from the track,

a dog having a round pivot hole at one end thereof and also having an elongated slot extending along the central portion thereof and spaced along the dog from the pivot hole,

a first pin extending through the slot and connected to the first bar,-

a second pin extending through the hole and connected to the second bar,

and means for reciprocating the first bar,

the first bar having mean for engaging and pushing the second bar when the dog is in a position extending over the track. 4. The conveyor of claim 3 wherein the second bar is composed of magnetic material,

and a magnet in the portion of the guide channel along which the second bar slides for resisting sliding movement of the second bar.

5. In a conveyor including a track,

a guideway extending along one side of the track,

a drive bar slidable in the guideway,

a drag bar slidable along the guideway and the drive bar,

the bars being so positioned in the guideway that the drive bar is between the drag bar and the track,

a dog having a slot extending therealong,

pin means connecting the dog pivotally to the bar remote from the track,

pin means extending through the slot and connecting the dog pivotally to the bar close to the track,

means for reciprocating the drive bar along the driveand means on the drive bar for positively pushing the drag bar through the drive bar when the dog is in a position extending over the track.

6. In a conveyor including a track,

a guideway extending along one side of the track,

a drive bar slidable in the gnideway,

a drag bar slidable along the guideway and the drive bar,

the bars being so positioned in the guideway that the drive bar is between the drag bar and the track,

a dog having a slot extending along the central portion thereof,

pin means connecting an end of the dog pivotally to the drag bar,

pin means extending through the slot and connecting the dog pivotally to the drive bar,

means for reciprocating the drive bar along the guideand means on the drive bar for positively pushing the drag bar through the drive bar when the drive bar is moved in one direction and the dog has been swung to a position extending over the track 7. In a conveyor,

an article guiding track,

a drag bar mounted for movement back and forth along the track,

dog means pivotally connected at one end thereof to the drag bar,

a driving bar mounted for movement back and forth along the track,

means connecting the driving bar pivotally within a slot in an intermediate portion of the dog means,

means for moving the driving bar back and forth along the track to swing the dog means into the track when the driving bar is moved forwardly along the track and swing the dog means out of the track when the driving bar is moved rearwardly along the track,

connecting means operable by the driving bar for positively pushing the drag bar forwardly along the track only after the dog means have been swung into the track by the driving bar as the driving bar is moved forwardly along the track,

and means for resisting forward movement of the drag bar along the track,

said driving bar being positioned between said drag bar and said track to permit, during forward movement of the driving bar and the drag bar, forward movement of the drag bar relative to the driving bar by the dog means when the dog means encounters resistance greater than a predetermined load.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner. ABRAHAM BERLIN, ERNEST A. FALLER, IR.,

Examiners. 

1. IN A CONVEYOR, AN ARTICLE GUIDING TRACK, A GUIDE EXTENDING ALONG ONE SIDE OF THE TRACK, A DRIVING BAR SLIDABLE IN THE GUIDE, A DRAG BAR FRICTIONALLY ENGAGING AND SLIDABLE IN THE GUIDE ALONGSIDE OF THE DRIVING BAR AND BEING LOCATED IN THE GUIDE AT A POSITION ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE DRIVING BAR FROM THE TRACK, A DOG HAVING A SLOT EXTENDING ALONG THE CENTRAL PORTION THEREOF AND A HOLE AT ONE END THEREOF, A FIRST PIN ON THE DRIVING BAR AND PROJECTING INTO THE SLOT, A SECOND PIN ON THE DRAG BAR AND PROJECTING INTO THE HOLE, AND MEANS FOR RECIPROCATING THE DRIVING BAR ALONG THE GUIDE TO PULL THE DRAP BAR THROUGH THE DOG AND RETRACT THE DOG FROM THE TRACK IN MOVEMENT IN ONE DIRECTION, THE DRIVING BAR BEING PROVIDED WITH A MEMBER AT ONE END THEREOF FOR ENGAGING AND PUSHING THE DRAG BAR AFTER THE DOG HAS BEEN SWUNG INTO THE TRACK WHEN THE DRIVING BAR IS MOVED IN THE DIRECTION OPPOSITE TO SAID ONE DIRECTION. 